Gas-engine motor for cars



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1( y D. BEST. GAS ENGINE MOTOR POR GARS.

No. 484,728. Patented 0013.18, 1892.

'Si A (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. D; BEST.

GAS ENGINE MOTOR PoR GARS.

Patented oct. 18, 1892.

(No Model.)

3 sheets-sheet 3. D. BEST.

GAS ENGINE MOTOR FOR GARS.

Patented 001;. 18, 1892.

V llfllllllll/lf//lllll l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL BEST, OF SAN LEANDRO, CALIFORNIA.

GAS-ENGINE MOTOR FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 484,728, dated October 18, 1892.

Application led April l, 1892. Serial No.427,395. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it' may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL BEST, acitizen of the United States, residing at San Leandro, Alameda county, State of California,haveinvented an Improvement in Gas-Engine Motors; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same.

My invention relates to a gas-engine and the transmission of power from it to propel a car.

It consists in certain details of construction, which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side eleva-tion of the motorcar with a sufficient portion removed to show the interior arrangement of the mechanism. Fig. 2 is a plan view-of the operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross-section through the frame, showing the location of the sprocket-wheels upon the shaft F. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the gear M and drum P, showing the friction-clutch mechanism. Fig. 5 is a detail of the clutch-actuating wedge and the guide. Fig. 6 shows a train of gears which may be substituted for the sprocket wheels and chains. Fig. 7 is a detail showing a device for throwing the governor out of action.

In the present case I have shown my apparatus as mounted upon a car having bearingwheels A and the axles B, through which power is transmitted to rotate the wheels by means of chains C, passing around sprocket- Wheels D D upon the axles B, and corresponding sprocket-wheels E E upon the main driving-shaft F. This shaft receives power by means of intermediate gearing, to be hereinafter described, from the crank-shaft G, which is journaled in a framework directly above the shaft F, and its cranks H have connected with them the pitmen I, and these connect with the pistonsin the two oppositely-placed horizontal cylinders J, the operation of which will be very fully described hereinafter.

The two sprocket-Wheels E E upon the shaft F are inclosed in a rectangular chamber made in that part of the frame F through which the shaft F passes. The opposite sides of the rectangle are in line with the end eX- tension of the frame, as shown in Fig. 3. Vertical slots are made through the ends of the rectangular chamber, through which the chains from the sprocket-wheels E E pass to the sprockets D and D upon the two bearing-wheel shafts. 4'Fliese sprocket-wheels are made of different proportions, so that a fast speed maybe given the car by throwing the sprockets E D into action, and a slow speed bythe use of the sprockets E D.

D2 are levers by which clutches B2 are actuated, so that either one of the drivingsprockets D D may be caused to drive the car while the other is disengaged. Y These clutches may be of that class in which one member slides upon a feather upon the shaft and the other turns loosely upon the shaft, but is caused to turn with it when the two parts 0f the clutch are engaged.

The shaft G has fixed to it apinion K, and upon the shaft F is loosely mounted a friction-drum and a gear-wheel M, the periphery of which is sufficiently different from the pinion K to admit the intermediate pinions L and N, which are journaled upon a movable yoke O. This yoke has its center about the shaft F, and it is moved by a lever O', which partially rotates it around the shaft F. The pinions L and N mesh with each other and the pinion N always remains engaged with the gear M, because it is moved with the yoke about'the shaft F, upon which M is mounted. The pinions L and N being both journaled upon the yoke O are movable with it, and When one is thrown into gear With pinion K the other is thrown out of gear. Thus when the yoke is moved to the left, as in Fig. 1, N gears with K and M and transmits motion to the gear M and shaft F, while pinion L (which always remains in gear with pinion N) turns as an idler. If the yoke is moved to the right, the pinion N will be disengaged from the pinion K and the pinion L will be thrown into gear with it, thus introducing` one more pinion into the train between K and M, which reverses the movement of the latter and its connections with the bearing-wheels A.

In order to prevent sud den abrupt shocks to the gearing when such reversals take place, I employ a friction-clutch consisting of the exterior drum P, turning loosely upon the shaft F and in unison with the gear M, and an elastic expansible band Q, so connected as to turn with the shaft, and having a mechfaces, and between these faces is a Wedge S,

whichmay be forced outward between these inclined faces, thus forcing the separated ends of the band Q apart and causing the whole of the band to press tightly against the interior of the drum P, thus causing the drum to com municate its motion through the band Q to the shaft F, with which the opposite part of the band is connected.

The means for operating the wedge S consist of the arm T, which is acted upon by the beveled face of a hub U, which slides upon the shaft F and is actuated by a lever, as shown at V. When this hub is moved in one direction, its inclined face lifts up the leverarm T, forcing it outward and through the connecting-rod T. -The wedge S is forced outward between the inclined sides R, thus expanding the band Q. When vthe hub is moved in the opposite direction,A the lever T will be allowed to drop toward the center, thus relieving the pressure upon its band Q and releasing the drum. The length of the rod T is adjusted by means of aunt t, turnngupon the right and left screw-threads of the meeting ends of the two parts of which the rod is composed. The wedge S is guided and `kept in place between the inclined jaws R by a` slotted elastic guide-plate R', bolted to the band Q and extending upon each side of the y Wedge S as shown in Fig. 5.

It is manifest that various devices `may be` employed to reverse the motion of the'car-y wheels while the engines are always traveling in the same direction; but the device here described is simple, easily manipulated, and fulfills all requirements.

The supply of gasoline or other liquid for producing the inflammable vapor by which` the 'engines are actuated `is contained in a tank Within the roof W of the car, the vapor passing down from the vaporizing-chamberI nected together by a rod e, extending froml one to the other, as shown in Fig. 2, and the levers f, by which the supply of gasoline vapor is admitted to meet the air-supply, are connected by the rod g, so that they may be operated simultaneously by the engineer, who maybe either at one end or the other of the car. There is a check-valve atA each of the ends b of the air-admission pipe, so that when the vapor is ignited and t-he explosion takes place in the cylinder the outward force of the small portion of the gas will be prevented from passing through the open ends at b. A pipe h is connected with the main supplypipe intermediate between Athe valve c and the `check-valve at the outer end, and this pipe discharges underneath the car, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the small portion of gas escaping in this manner will be discharged beneath the car and not in such a way as to annoy passengers. This pipe is also provided with the check-valve at t', which closes inwardly and `prevents air being `drawn in through the pipes h, which would also allow dust to pass into the engine-cylinders if they were used as supply pipes. T he exhaust from the engine-cylinders passes up through i I the roof by pipes X2 and into a horizontal pipe r, having numerous' small perforations,

as shown, through which the exhaust-products escape with little or no noise.

Water for circulation around the cylinders which are closed bythe springs as us'oon as the rods are released from the cams.

The governors are connected with rods o, which are movable so as to engage these connecting-rods m, and when the `speed increases A to too great a degree these rods engage holes in the connecting-rods m audhold them back so as to prevent thesprings from closing the valves which thus remain open Ito allow airto be freely sucked in and forced out of thecylinder through the exhaust-openings, whileno explosive mixture will be drawn in through the inlet-valves by the movement of the piston. This same object may be accomplished by a hand device which will throw the rods 0 `into `engagement with the valve-connecting rods m and produce the same result. This device consists of a wedge-shaped disk Z', in the'center of which the lower end of the governor-spindle has its step. The disk is supported upon a bar or plate o', and has a handle by which it maybe rotated. The rod 0 passes across the top of the disk l', and when the disk is turned so that the narrowest edge is nearest the fulcrum of the arm o the latter drops low enough to allow its hooked end to engage the hole in the rod m. When the disk is turned half a revolution to bring its thickest edge nearest the fulcrum of o, it raises the rod until its hooked end is disengaged from the rod m, and the governors will then have no eect upon the engines.` When the engines run slower, these hook-rods 0` are disengaged from the rods m, and the latter and the valves are then subjected to the usual action of the cams upon the shaftG.

The whole mechanism is designed to produce a double-acting double-ended motor, with such connections that the operating mechanism can be controlled from either'en'd at pleasure, while the engine may be reversed and made to run in either direction without reversing the motion of the engines.

By the novel construction of the engineframe shown in Fig. 3 I am enabled to use the rectangular chamber Fin the web of the frame as a housing for the sprocket-wheels E E', and I am enabled to locate them directly beneath-the engines and in the center of the car. This economizes space and enables vine to place the sprocket-wheels upon the bearing-axles approximately near the central portion of the axles, and theclutchlevers D2 are also conveniently located on a central line.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A car having mounted upon it the horizontal gas-engines, an interposed crank-shaft to which the connecting-rods of these engines are united from opposite sides, a pinion mounted upon the engine-shaft, a supplemental shaft having a gear-wlieel mounted upon it, andintermediate movable pinions and reversing mechanism whereby the car may be driven in opposite directions without reversing the motion of the engines, substantially as herein described.

2. Acar having the horizontal cylinders mounted upon opposite sides of a crank-axle, to which their pistons are connected by connecting-rods, anpinion K, mounted upon the engine-shaft, a shaft journaled beneath the engine-shaft, and a gear-wheel M, turning loosely upon said shaft and adapted to be engaged by either one or the other of two pinions movable between the gears K and M, a drum connected with the gear M, a clutch mechanism, and a means for actuating the same, whereby the drum may be temporarily connected with the shaft or disengaged therefrom, sprocket-wheels upon this shaft, chains passing around said sprocketwheels, and other sprocketwheels D upon the axles of the car, whereby power is transmit-ted to the car, substantially as herein described.

3. A car or motor having engines connected with a crank-shaft, a pinion K, xed upon the shaft, a second transverse shaft journaled parallel with the engine-shaft and having a gear-wheel M fitted upon it, with a space intervening between the peri pheries of the gear M and pinion K,a'n arm oi' yoke fulcrumed upon the gear-shaft, and a lever by which it is turned about its fulcrum, in combination with pinions L and N, journaled upon the yoke and movable with it about the gearshaft, whereby either the pinion L or N is engaged with the pinion K, while the pinion N remains constantly engaged with the gear M,

substantially as herein described.

4. A car or motor having engines connected with a crank-shaft, a pinion fixed upon the crank-shaft, a second shaft F parallel with the crank-shaft, having a gear-Wheel M-and drum P turning loosely upon it, intermediate pinions movably journaled to transmit and reverse motion from the crank-shaft pinions to the gear M, and a hand Q, fixed to the shaft F concentric within the drum and having the inclined separated ends, in combination with the wedge S, the lever T, connected with it, and the sliding cone U, movable upon the shaft and. engaging the lever to move the wedge and expand the band to form a frictional driving-contact between itself and the drum or to release it therefrom, substantially as herein described.

5. A car having horizontal engines mounted thereon, the connecting-rods of said engines uniting with the crank of a shaft iournaled transversely upon the car, a second shaft joiirnaled below the engine-shaft with sprocket-wheels, and chains connecting the sprocket- Wheels with the axles of the car,`a gear M, mounted loosely upon the second shaft, a p inion K upon the engine-shaft, a yoke turning about the second shaft, intermediate-engaged pinions L N, journaled-upon the yoke and movable therewith, so thateither of the pinions L or N may be engaged with the pinion K to propel or reverse the motion of the car, the clutch mechanism, and shifting-lever Ywhereby the loose gear M is connected'with the shaft or disengaged therefrom, substantially as herein described.

6. The car having the oppositely-placed horizontal gas-engines, intermediate connection between said engines and the car-axles, whereby they may be driven in either direction, a gasoline tank and vaporizer situated in the roof ot' the car, posts by which the roof is supported, a pipe adjacent to one of said posts and connecting with the vaporizer, a horizontal pipe situated within the body of the car and connected with the vertical pipe, pipes connecting said horizontal pipe with the two cylinders, valves by which the supply to the cylinders is controlled, and a rod connecting said valves, so that they may be opened or closed simultaneously from either end of the car, substantially as herein described.

7. A car having the oppositely-placed horizontal engines connected with a crank-shaft, intermediate mechanism through which power is transmitted from the engines to drive the car in either direction, a gasoline tank and vaporizer situated in the upper part of the IOO jacent pipes and connection between said" pipes and the exhaust-ports of the engine, and

a perforated horizontal ipipefsupported above the roof `and-connected with theexhaust-'pipes So that the exhaust-gaseslaresubdi'vided before escaping into the open lair, snbstantiallyf as herein described. l

9. In a car or motor, lt'he bearing-Wh'eelfaxles having sprocket wheels d) D' of different sizes turning loosely upon them and carry-- ingone member each of a clutch,'othercl'utch members moving upon longitudinal feathers and turning with jthe axles, and levers whereby one clutch is engaged with its fsprocket- `wheel and theotherd-isengagedtochange the speed of `the'car, connectingchainsfand ccorrespondingsprockebwheels .upon a coun terr shaft `'extemling'across theicar beneath the engine-shaft and centrally between the axles, a loose gear-wheel Mupon this'shaft, through which motion is derived from the engineshaft, and a frictional clutch by which the gear-Wheel is-connected to `tnrn with the shaft or disengaged therefrom, substantially as herein described.

10. The sprocket-wheelsD D upon the bearing-wheel axles and corresponding sprocket- Wheels E E upon a counter-shaft driven from the engine lof acar or motor, in combination with the web or frame F', formed with a central rectangular housing through which the counter-'shaft passes and within which the sprocket-wheels E Ev yare inclosed and protected,substantially as herein described.

l1. In a car `or motor, the bearing-wheels, a counter-shaft, and intermediate driving'gear, engines from the crank-shaft lof which the counter-shaft vis driven, engine-valves, and

connecting-`rods mydriven by rotating lugs carried by thefengirne-shatt attachments, and governors connected with hook-rods o, which engage with or are disengaged'from the rods m, in combination wit/hsu-pplemental controlling device consisting of the `rotary wedge-shaped disks l', ulpon `which the rods-0 bear, and means for turning 'the disks so as fto `allow the hookrods o toengage with Vor be disengagedfrom the rods m, substantially-asherein described.

In witness `whereof I have hereunto set my*4 hand.

DANIEL BEST. Witnesses:

. C. H. IGRAY,

W. S. PETERS. 

